SUMMARY OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
Before the revolution, Russia was ruled by a monarch called the Tsar (sometimes spelled Czar). The Tsar had absolute power in Russia. He commanded the army, owned much of the land, and even controlled the church. During the period of time before the Russian Revolution, life for the working class people and the peasants was very difficult. They worked for low wages, often went without food, and were exposed to dangerous working conditions. The aristocrat class treated the peasants like slaves, giving them few rights under the law.
In 1914, World War I began and Russia was at war with Germany. A huge Russian army was formed by forcing working-class and peasant men to join. Although the Russian army had great numbers, the soldiers were not equipped or trained to fight. Many of them were sent into battle without shoes, food, and even weapons. Over the next three years, nearly 2 million Russian soldiers were killed in battle and nearly another 5 million were wounded. The Russian people blamed the Tsar for entering the war and getting so many of their young men killed.
The people of Russia first revolted in early 1917. The revolution began when a number of workers decided to strike. Many of these workers got together during the strike to discuss politics. They began to riot. The Tsar, Nicholas II, ordered the army to suppress the riot. However, many of the soldiers refused to fire on the Russian people and the army began to mutiny against the Tsar. After a few days of riots, the army turned against the Tsar. The Tsar was forced to give up his throne and a new government took over. The government was run by two political parties: the Petrograd Soviet (representing the workers and soldiers) and the Provisional Government (the traditional government without the Tsar).
Over the next several months the two sides ruled Russia. One of the main factions of the Petrograd Soviet was a group called the Bolsheviks. They were led by Vladimir Lenin and believed that the new Russian government should be a Marxist government. In October of 1917, Lenin took full control of the government and Russia became the first socialist country in world history.
CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION
In 1914, World War I began and Russia was at war with Germany. A huge Russian army was formed by forcing working-class and peasant men to join. Although the Russian army had great numbers, the soldiers were not equipped or trained to fight. Many of them were sent into battle without shoes, food, and even weapons. Over the next three years, nearly 2 million Russian soldiers were killed in battle and nearly another 5 million were wounded. The Russian people blamed the Tsar for entering the war and getting so many of their young men killed.
The people of Russia first revolted in early 1917. The revolution began when a number of workers decided to strike. Many of these workers got together during the strike to discuss politics. They began to riot. The Tsar, Nicholas II, ordered the army to suppress the riot. However, many of the soldiers refused to fire on the Russian people and the army began to mutiny against the Tsar. After a few days of riots, the army turned against the Tsar. The Tsar was forced to give up his throne and a new government took over. The government was run by two political parties: the Petrograd Soviet (representing the workers and soldiers) and the Provisional Government (the traditional government without the Tsar).
Over the next several months the two sides ruled Russia. One of the main factions of the Petrograd Soviet was a group called the Bolsheviks. They were led by Vladimir Lenin and believed that the new Russian government should be a Marxist government. In October of 1917, Lenin took full control of the government and Russia became the first socialist country in world history.
CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION